Looking to move to Enfield. Advice please!

[Davey88]

We are looking to move from a flat in Palmers Green to a house Enfield. I don’t know the area very well but I like the look of Chase Side and have viewed a couple lovely houses on the roads off Lancaster road. We have focused our search around EN2 but have also viewed some houses on the Baker Street side of EN1. Ideally we want to be in walking distance to Gordon Hill or Enfield Chase station.

We have 2 small children so I’d like to know what the schools are like and whether EN2 is a nice area to live in? Is there a sense of community?

A house we’re interested in is close to Lavender Primary and St Michael’s which I’m aware is C of E. If we don’t attend church regularly do we have a hope of getting in there?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Lived in Enfield for several years in the area you mention, I really liked it. Lots of families, easy to make friends, lovely library and town park.

Can’t comment on that school individually but primary catchments were tiny when we were at that stage - in fact one of the drivers for moving away was that we were in a catchment black hole. (It was a bulge year so particularly bad for us, might not be such an issue now.) And I do know friends who had to go to church for some of the other faith schools. So would check this very carefully before you buy!

@HerbertVonDoodlebug Thank you! That’s super helpful. I’m hoping that catchments are easing up now that the birth rate is lowering but I will do some research into the local schools. Good to hear that you were happy there!

We’re viewing a house on Saturday that’s in between Enfield town and Bush Hill Park. I’m less familiar with that area but would appreciate any insight you have on BHP as we can certainly get a lot more for our money there.

Hi OP. We are in EN2 near Chase Side and in the process of selling our house (I would recommend as it’s lovely, but sounds too small for you - we only have one DD and are moving partly because it now feels too cramped even with just her!)

We have lived in the area for a long time and have close links with many of the local schools. You’re right to say that birth rates and movement out of London has meant that there is less pressure for places; indeed, there is talk of classes and even schools closing in future due to the fact that much smaller intakes are making them unsustainable. St Michael’s is one of the more popular ones and remains full for now, but while a few years’ ago you’d definitely have had to attend church to be assured of a place, now church numbers are dwindling and you’re pretty much a shoo-in as long as you leave reasonably close to the school.

Secondary is trickier and does seem to be a bit of a black spot (it’s one of our main drivers for moving). The only options you would definitely get into on catchment criteria really aren’t great - we certainly wouldn’t consider them for DD - and the other main option is Wren Academy, which would mean having to attend church for two years and, while by no means a terrible school, is far too strict, rigid and joyless for us! We know that if we stayed we would inevitably get sucked into the north London 11+ tutoring madness, and since we have no Plan B if this failed we decided that moving now, while DD is still little, is a better prospect.

Good luck with everything - I’m happy to discuss further on here or feel free to DM me with any questions.

@TempsPerdu Hi! Great to have your intel. Thanks for flagging the issues with secondaries. I have to say I haven’t put too much thought into secondary schools as I know a lot can change and my eldest has only just turned 3. My other son is 8 months. I only really know the secondary schools around Muswell Hill where I grew up and we definitely can’t afford to live there sadly! We don’t have a big budget for north London and Enfield seems to be the nicest place within our budget where we can afford a house.

Having said that, most of the houses in our budget are 2 beds and some with compromises like downstairs bathroom. But I would prefer to live in a nice area with compromises than a not so good area with a bigger house. We have to stay in north London to be close to childcare from grandparents (Friern Barnet and Crouch End).

Would be interesting to hear areas you’d recommend with good secondary schools! Lots of our friends are moving out to Hertfordshire but at this stage we’re too reliant on our families to move that far.

That all makes total sense @Davey88- family help can make such a huge difference! Was just flagging up the secondary situation because I’ve lived in Enfield forever and have seen countless friends move across Enfield or out into Herts once their oldest DC hits about Year 3/4 in order to access a better school catchment. It’s a real ‘thing’ in this part of Enfield. Primary schools are broadly fine though, and as you say schools can change very quickly so you can’t plan too far ahead.

We’re actually moving out to North Essex (Saffron Walden) - fancied a change of pace and a more outdoorsy lifestyle after living in London all our lives, plus there’s one good comprehensive that everyone goes to, rather than the headache of London catchments, 11+ tutoring etc.

Other friends have recently moved to Hertford, Hitchin and Bishop’s Stortford - all of those seem to come up frequently in discussions about locations with good schools (we looked seriously at Bishop’s Stortford but decided it felt too similar to London).

Wondered how you are getting on @Davey88 - house prices in Palmers Green south and north of Hedge Lane can be as low as you’re seeing in Bush Hill Park. Then you have the advantage of potential Winchmore catchment for secondary and (if south of Hedge Lane) Hazelwood School which I’m told is excellent. We live in this bit because we wanted a house that didn’t need work but had a relatively low budget compared to Bounds Green or Southgate average prices. Bush Hill Park looks nice when we drive through it though!

Hi @Moosiemoo14 ! We’re still looking but the market seems to have gone very quiet which is a concern. We did put an offer on a house in EN2 but it was rejected.

Would love to be able to stay in Palmers Green but the houses I’m seeing around Hedge Lane tend to start around 550K and our top budget is 500K. I think anything in our budget in PG would probably need a lot of work and we wouldn’t have any money left to do that.

I’ve also heard great things about Hazlewood and had always planned to send my son there if we were to stay in our flat. Will definitely keep Palmers Green in the search. Good to know that we’d be in the catchment for Winchmore if we stayed. I’d heard PG was a bit of a ‘black hole’ for secondaries.

Have you looked in Bush Hill Park, around the station? Ladbroke Road, First Avenue, Countisbury Avenue, Harrow Drive, Trinity Avenue etc.? You'd be in catchment for the Raglan Schools which I personally think is among the best primary schools in Enfield and can hold its own against schools like Coldfall in Muswell Hill. We moved here from Bounds Green which we loved but couldn't afford the right house in, and have been very happy here. Commuting is a breeze and we've not compromised on being part of our old community in BG/PG as it's so close by. There's also a local Bright Horizons for your youngest and an active childminder scene so overall, a nice community. I find it calmer than PG although there aren't as many bars and eateries right on your doorstep.

Secondaries are trickier here too - there's Edmonton County and Kingsmead which parents say are good but I personally don't like the location of (on the A10). Many parent are moving to Highlands Village area to be in catchment for Highlands School and this is something you could consider down the line. Another option is near Firs Farm (e.g. Blakesware Gardens), you'd be in catchment for both Raglan for primary and Winchmore for secondary. Good luck!

Hi@Davey88

You may well have seen this house already and I know it's at the top end of your budget. But if you are committed to staying in North London for childcare and family reasons then this might conceivably work for you?

Clearly it needs a bit of work but you might be able to replace the bathroom for not too many thousands and the rest of it looks to be cosmetic. There seems to be a fair amount of space inside and out.

One of the best bits about Enfield is the parks and you'd have Chase Green about ten minutes away and Town Park not too much further.

Transport would be really handy - bus route at the end of the road and a choice of overground stations into Moorgate. Less than a quarter of an hour to the M25.
Chase Side would be the nearest primary. As for secondary you might just be close enough for them to get into Highlands - even though it's a good decade away! Good luck!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/160904924?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

To be totally honest Enfield is becoming a bit rougher these days. It has changed immensely in the last 10 years .I know of 10 people this year alone who have put their homes in Enfield up for sale,especially now the lovely Crews hill garden centre is being knocked down for over a thousand new houses to be built .Six new housing estates.
It is areal shame but Enfield looks run down even the shops are closing .